Commentary - Acts 1:12-26

Bird's-eye view

In the immediate aftermath of Christ's ascension, this passage shows us the foundational actions of the nascent church. This is not a group of bewildered men sitting around wondering what to do next. They are gathered, they are obedient, they are united, and they are devoted to prayer. The first order of public business for the apostolic company is to address the gaping hole left by the treason of Judas Iscariot. Led by Peter, the church moves to replace him, but notice how they do it. The entire process is governed by Scripture. Peter's reasoning is not based on practical necessity or a management seminar; it is based on the prophetic testimony of the Psalms. They define the qualifications for the office based on the man's history with Jesus, they nominate two qualified men, they pray for God's sovereign choice, and then they use a biblically-sanctioned method, the casting of lots, to determine God's will. This is the church, in its first corporate act, demonstrating a robust confidence in the sovereignty of God and the sufficiency of Scripture to govern its affairs.

The selection of Matthias is therefore a crucial event. It restores the symbolic number of twelve, representing the foundation of the new Israel, just before the Spirit is poured out at Pentecost. It is an act of faith, demonstrating that the apostles understood their role not as a mere band of followers, but as a divinely instituted office. Judas's fall was not a surprise to God, and neither was his replacement. The whole affair, from the gruesome end of the traitor to the selection of the faithful man, is shown to be under the meticulous providence of God, fulfilling what was written centuries before.

Outline

Context In Acts

This passage forms a vital bridge between the Ascension of Christ (Acts 1:9-11) and the descent of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost (Acts 2:1-4). Having received the Great Commission and the promise of the Spirit, the apostles are in a period of waiting. But it is not an idle waiting. This section shows them consolidating and preparing for the mission ahead. The first chapter of Acts is about setting the stage: Luke establishes the historical reality of the resurrection and ascension, records the final commands of Jesus, and then shows the first corporate act of the church in reconstituting its leadership. The integrity of the apostolic foundation had to be restored before the building of the church could commence in earnest. By replacing Judas, the church affirms the continuity of God's plan and the authority of the apostolic office. This act of Spirit-guided, Scripture-fed administration is the necessary prelude to the Spirit-empowered explosion of evangelism that begins in the very next chapter.

Key Issues

Restoring the Foundations

Before the church could be built, the foundation had to be sound. After the resurrection, Jesus had spent forty days with His disciples, setting many things in order. But one thing remained. There were eleven apostles. The college of apostles had a traitor-shaped hole in it, and this was an intolerable situation. The number twelve was not arbitrary; it was deeply symbolic, representing the twelve patriarchs and the twelve tribes of Israel. The apostles were to be the foundation of the new Israel, the church, and a foundation must be complete. What we see in this passage is the first official business meeting of the church, and the agenda is set, not by a committee, but by the Word of God. Peter stands up and demonstrates what true leadership is. It is leadership that submits itself to the authority of Scripture and calls the people of God to do the same.

Verse by Verse Commentary

12-14 Then they returned to Jerusalem from the mount called Olivet, which is near Jerusalem, a Sabbath day’s journey away. And when they had entered the city, they went up to the upper room where they were staying; that is, Peter and John and James and Andrew, Philip and Thomas, Bartholomew and Matthew, James the son of Alphaeus, and Simon the Zealot, and Judas the son of James. These all with one accord were continually devoting themselves to prayer, along with the women, and Mary the mother of Jesus, and His brothers.

The first thing the disciples do after Jesus ascends is obey Him. He had told them to wait in Jerusalem, and so they return. Luke notes the distance, a "Sabbath day's journey," showing they were still observant Jews. They gather in the upper room, a place of fellowship and safety. The list of the eleven apostles is given, emphasizing the vacancy. But they are not alone. They are gathered with one accord. This unity is the first great mark of the Spirit's preparatory work. And what are they doing? They are "continually devoting themselves to prayer." They are waiting on God, together. Luke also includes the women, Mary the mother of Jesus, and most notably, His brothers. The same brothers who once thought He was out of His mind (Mark 3:21) are now part of the core group of believers, devoted to prayer. The resurrection changes everything.

15-17 And in those days, Peter stood up in the midst of the brothers (a crowd of about 120 persons was there together), and said, “Men, brothers, the Scripture had to be fulfilled, which the Holy Spirit foretold by the mouth of David concerning Judas, who became a guide to those who arrested Jesus. For he was counted among us and received his share in this ministry.”

Peter, restored by Christ, steps into his leadership role. He addresses the gathered community, about 120 people, the seed of the new covenant people. His first move is to take them to the Bible. He doesn't begin with "I feel we should..." or "It seems like a good idea to..." He begins with, "the Scripture had to be fulfilled." He places the shocking treason of Judas squarely within the sovereign plan of God. This was not a plan that went awry. The Holy Spirit Himself foretold it through David. This is a high view of Scripture. Peter then states the tragedy plainly: Judas was one of them. He was "counted among us" and had a legitimate "share in this ministry." This wasn't an outsider who attacked them; it was a catastrophic betrayal from within.

18-19 (Now this man acquired a field with the price of his unrighteousness, and falling headlong, he burst open in the middle and all his intestines gushed out. And it became known to all who were living in Jerusalem; so that in their own language that field was called Hakeldama, that is, Field of Blood.)

Luke inserts this parenthetical note to detail the sordid end of Judas. Matthew tells us he hanged himself (Matt 27:5). Luke describes the result. There is no contradiction; it is easy to see how both are true. He hanged himself, and then the rope or branch broke, and his body, likely bloated from decay, fell and burst open on the rocks below. It is a grotesque end for a grotesque sin. The wages of sin is death, and Judas's death was a public, visceral display of that truth. The "reward" for his unrighteousness was a polluted piece of land, forever named for his bloody crime. It was a notorious event, known to everyone in Jerusalem, a permanent monument to the consequences of apostasy.

20 “For it is written in the book of Psalms, ‘LET HIS RESIDENCE BE MADE DESOLATE, AND LET NO ONE DWELL IN IT’; and, ‘LET ANOTHER MAN TAKE HIS OFFICE.’

Here is the biblical warrant for Peter's proposal. He quotes two separate Psalms, Psalm 69:25 and Psalm 109:8. These are imprecatory psalms, prayers for God's judgment to fall upon His enemies. Peter, under the guidance of the Spirit, applies these prophecies directly to Judas. The first prophecy speaks of the desolation that comes with judgment. The second is the crucial one for the business at hand. The Spirit, through David, had commanded that when such a wicked leader falls, another must take his office. The apostleship is an office, a position, not just a personal designation. Therefore, the vacancy left by Judas's apostasy must be filled.

21-22 Therefore it is necessary that of the men who have accompanied us all the time that the Lord Jesus went in and out among us, beginning with the baptism of John until the day that He was taken up from us, one of these must become a witness with us of His resurrection.”

Based on the scriptural mandate, Peter lays out the qualifications. This is not an open call for volunteers. The candidate pool is strictly defined. A new apostle must have been a consistent, eyewitness disciple throughout Jesus' entire earthly ministry, from His baptism by John to His ascension. Why? Because the primary task of an apostle was to be a foundational witness with us of His resurrection. They couldn't just be a witness to the stories; they had to be a witness to the story-teller, to the man Jesus Himself, in order to authoritatively testify that the one who was crucified was the very same one who was raised. This was a unique, unrepeatable qualification for a unique, unrepeatable office.

23 And they put forward two men, Joseph called Barsabbas (who was also called Justus), and Matthias.

The congregation, operating within the biblical criteria Peter set forth, identifies two men who fit the description. It is a beautiful picture of congregational participation under apostolic leadership. They don't just nominate one man, which would make the subsequent prayer and lot a mere formality. They nominate two, both apparently of equal qualification and character, and present them before the Lord for His decision.

24-25 And they prayed and said, “You, Lord, who know the hearts of all men, show which one of these two You have chosen to take the place of this ministry and apostleship from which Judas turned aside to go to his own place.”

The prayer is a model of dependent faith. They address the Lord (likely Jesus) as the one who "knows the hearts of all men." They knew the external qualifications, but only God knew the heart. They are not asking God to bless their choice; they are asking God to reveal His choice. They acknowledge that God has already chosen. They also define the stakes. This is a "ministry and apostleship" from which Judas "turned aside to go to his own place." This is a solemn, biblical euphemism for damnation. Judas chose his path, and his destination was fitting. He went to the place that corresponded to his character, the place he had made his own.

26 And they cast lots for them, and the lot fell to Matthias; and he was added to the eleven apostles.

Having done all they could do through human wisdom and biblical criteria, they commit the final decision to God's direct providence through the casting of lots. This may seem strange to us, but it was an Old Testament method for discerning God's will (Prov 16:33). This is the last time it is used in the New Testament, as the outpouring of the Spirit at Pentecost would provide a new and better form of guidance. But here, in this transitional moment, it was a legitimate expression of their trust in God's sovereignty. The lot falls to Matthias, the decision is accepted without argument, and he is officially numbered with the apostles. The foundation is restored. The church is ready for Pentecost.

Application

This passage is intensely practical for the church today. First, it shows us that the life of the church is to be lived in unity, obedience, and constant prayer. We are to wait on the Lord together. Second, it establishes the absolute priority of Scripture in the church's decision-making. When faced with a crisis or a need, our first question should be Peter's question: "What is written?" Our leadership qualifications, our church discipline, our mission, all must be grounded in the Word of God, not in the wisdom of the world.

Third, we see the gravity of leadership in the church. An office is a sacred trust, and apostasy from that trust has fearful consequences. Judas went to "his own place." This is a permanent warning against those who would use a ministry position for their own gain. Finally, we see a profound trust in the sovereignty of God. The disciples knew that God was in control of Judas's fall and would be in control of choosing his successor. They did their part, searching the Scriptures and identifying qualified men, but they left the ultimate choice in God's hands. We are called to the same faithful process. We work, we pray, we obey the Word, and we trust our heart-knowing Lord to build His church as He sees fit.